Don't worry 'B' happy!: a role for GABA(B) receptors in anxiety and depression

GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, regulates many physiological and psychological processes. Thus, dysfunction of the GABA system is implicated in the pathophysiology of several neuropsychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression. However, the role of GABA(B) receptors in behavioural processes related to these disorders has not been resolved. GABA(B) receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors that function as heterodimers of GABA(B(1)) and GABA(B(2)) subunits. In addition to highly selective agonists and antagonists, novel GABA(B) receptor tools have been developed recently to further assist elucidation of the role of GABA(B) receptors in CNS function. These include mice that lack functional GABA(B) receptors, and novel positive modulators of the GABA(B) receptor. In this review, we discuss evidence that points to a role of GABA(B) receptors in anxiety and depression.     

Scintigraphic diagnosis of tricuspid regurgitation

The authors describe a simple technique for diagnosis of tricuspid regurgitation. Red blood cells were labeled in vivo with 99mTc and 22 patients were studied with ECG-gated blood-pool imaging of the liver. A single region of interest was manually drawn around the liver and a time-activity curve obtained. The per cent change in liver counts during the cardiac cycle was found to be significantly higher in the 12 patients with tricuspid regurgitation (Group I) (mean, 4.04 +/- 1.6%; range, 1.3-21.4%) compared with the 10 controls (Group II) (mean, 0.35 +/- 0.16%; range, 0.013-1.3%) (p less than 0.05). Using a 1% change in liver counts as the criterion of a positive study, all 12 cases in Group I were diagnosed correctly, but there was one false positive in Group II; thus the sensitivity was 100% and the specificity 90%.     

Prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by Veillonella parvula

Veillonella species is a rare cause of endocarditis. We report a case of a 49-year-old man with Veillonella parvula prosthetic valve endocarditis who presented with acute cardiac failure due to valvular dehiscence. His clinical course was complicated by cortical blindness and limb paresis as a result of cerebral embolism. The endocarditis was successfully treated with urgent valve replacement surgery and a prolonged course of metronidazole.     

银杏叶制剂对心绞痛患者的抗氧化和抗脂质过氧化作用

目的：探讨银杏叶制剂对心绞痛患者的抗氧化和抗脂质过氧化作用。方法：检测了７８例心绞痛患者经银杏叶制剂“天宝宁”治疗前后的血浆维生素Ｃ（Ｐ－ＶＣ）、维生素Ｅ（Ｐ－ＶＥ）、β－胡萝卜素（Ｐ－β－ＣＡＲ）、过氧化脂质（Ｐ－ＬＰＯ）以及红细胞超氧化物歧化酶（Ｅ－ＳＯＤ）、过氧化氢酶（Ｅ－ＣＡＴ）、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（Ｅ－ＧＳＨ－ＰＸ）、过氧化脂质（Ｅ－ＬＰＯ）值。结果：与治疗前比较,治疗后的Ｐ－ＶＣ、Ｐ－     

Farmer’s Lung in Ireland (1983–1996) remains at a constant level

A prospective study was undertaken by the Departments of Respiratory Medicine and Medical Microbiology at the Cork University Hospital, a. to investigate the epidemiology of Farmer’s Lung (F.L.) in the Republic of Ireland (pop. 3.5 million), with special reference to the South Western Region of this country (pop. 536,000) and b. to assess any relationship between the prevalence/incidence of F.L. with climatic factors in South West Ireland, between 1983 and 1996. F.L. incidence remained constant throughout the 13 yrs studied both on a national and a regional basis. A significant relationship was also found between total rainfall each summer and F.L. incidence and prevalence over the following yr (p<0.005) in South-West Ireland. The persistence of F.L. in Ireland at a constant level suggests that farmers’ working environment and farm practices need to be improved.